There are many instances when persons must be given baths while lying on a bed or similar support surface. Although sponge baths are often given in hospitals, sponge baths are not always as complete as may be desired. In addition, some persons required to remain in a prone position while lying on a bed must perform toilet functions and some other persons are incapable of controlling toilet functions.
Accordingly, a need exists for structure whereby persons disposed in prone positions on beds or other suitable supports may be given more complete baths and/or body functions may be performed without soiling the beds.
Although various forms of devices have been heretofore designed for the purpose of enabling bedridden persons to perform toilet functions and other apparatus has been provided for facilitating bathing persons disposed on beds, very few of these previously known structures are capable of adequately affording the capability of bedridden persons to be completely bathed and/or to perform toilet functions.
Examples of some previous devices of the type above set forth and including some of the general structural and operational features of the instant invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 473,065, 890,681, 940,958, 1,468,603, 2,066,400, 2,535,336, 3,377,631 and 3,605,127.